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A Home Depot in northern Arkansas has someone new looking out for mice at the warehouse store. A great horned owl now lives in the Harrison store's garden center, looking down on surprised customers shopping for flowers and paving stones. Employees say the bird's mother flew inside of the enclosed garden center during a January ice storm and laid eggs atop a pallet of merchandise.

An area substitute teacher is being accused of providing alcohol and marijuana to teenagers at a birthday party in November.

District Judge Rich Luther arraigned 51-year-old Linda Jennings of Duke Center on 14 counts of selling and furnishing alcohol to minors. She was also charged with giving false testimony and intimidating witnesses.

Court records indicate that, during the investigation, Jennings asked a person to tell police she wasn't at the party and had been four-wheeling with her nephew.

Also arrested in connection to the alleged incident were 20-year-old Tod Chaffee of Olean and 20-year-old Brandon Gustin of Eldred.

All three are free after posting bail.

Two teenagers, whose names have not been released because of their ages, have also been charged.

Jennings worked as a substitute teacher in the Otto-Eldred School District, as well as other area districts, according to Otto-Eldred Regional Police.

The new gas pumps at the Foster Brook Crosby's/Tim Hortons are almost ready to use. They should be running next week -- just in time for Scott Douglas and his live broadcast from the store. Stay tuned for more details on that. ... And the Worth W. Smith store in the background reminds me that "Around the Home" with Bob Harris (sponsored by Worth W. Smith) returns next Saturday at 8:30 a.m. on 1490 WESB.

By Dan Herbeck NEWS STAFF REPORTERWhen a Texas narcotics officer received a tip about a mysterious little girl seen begging for food in the border town of Reynosa, Mexico, he wasn’t certain it was a police matter.

But Ricardo Huerta pursued the lead anyway, and because he did, a missing 8-year-old girl from Jamestown was reunited with her mother this week.

On February 11, a TV crew from NBC news visited Bradford to file a story about Zippo and how the company is performing in the current business environment. Zippo officials learned late Friday evening that the segment is scheduled to air on one of the Weekend Today Show editions, either this morning or Sunday morning.

The feature covers the longevity of the Zippo brand and the extensive variety of designs Zippo produces on its famous windproof lighter. It also showcases the Zippo Repair Clinic and the fact that as long as Zippo lighters are backed by a lifetime guarantee, there will always be jobs at Zippo to repair lighters.

The reporter, Jeff Russen, and producer, Carla Marcus, interviewed several Zippo employees including Zippo Chairman George Duke. According to Zippo marketing communications manager, Pat Grandy, "Zippo was very pleased to host the news reporters from one of the nation's largest broadcast news organizations. It is a nice spotlight on both our co…

A 2.9-magnitude earthquake rattled residents in York County at around 1:30 this morning, setting off concerns that the series of temblors that rocked the northern part of the county in the fall and early winter have returned. The last series of earthquakes occurred from October to January.

14 non-profit organizations in and around McKean County will share the $100,000 that was part of the sentence against Norfolk Southern Corporation for a trail derailment and hazardous materials spill in June of 2006.

The train derailed near the village of Gardeau and spilled 42,000 of lye into Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek, causing millions of dollars worth of damage and killing more than 100,000 fish. In November of 2007, Norfolk Southern pleaded guilty to violations of the Solid Waste Management Act. In addition to the $100,000 announced today, the company was also sentenced to pay of $150,000 fine to the state DEP Solid Waste Abatement Fund.

In September of 2008, the operator of the train, Michael Seifert of West Seneca, New York, pled guilty to a felony violation of the Solid Waste Management Act and was sentenced to serve one to two years in prison plus two years of probation, and ordered to perform 600 hours of community service.

Risky rescue efforts had to be launched twice in the last month when unleashed dogs plunged into the Genesee River gorge at Letchworth State Park. Both dogs survived, including one that plummeted 150 feet.

Lt. Gov. Joe Scarnati will be the keynote speaker at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s commencement on Sunday, when he will address the largest graduating class in the university’s history.

Two hundred and eighty-six students will be receiving either associate’s or bachelor’s degrees during the exercises, which will be held at 2 p.m. in the KOA Arena of the Sport and Fitness Center. In addition to those students, 15 employees of Zippo Manufacturing Co. will be receiving two-year degrees in business on Sunday on behalf of Pitt-Titusville, a partnership between the two campuses and Zippo.

Sunday’s ceremony will also include the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Distinction to The Stackpole-Hall Foundation in St. Marys and Dr. William C. Conrad, its executive director.

Scarnati, Pennsylvania’s 31st lieutenant governor, also serves as Senate President Pro Tempore. He is currently serving his third term in the Senate, representing the 25th District, whi…

By Alex William DavisPublic Relations DirectorAmerican Cancer Society of Cameron County

At least eight artists will demonstrate their talents to raise money for cancer patients during the American Cancer Society's pilot program Creating A Cure on Saturday, May 30.

Painters, wood carvers, a felt knitter, a welder and a caricature drawer will set up in pavilions and musicians will perform from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. at Sizerville State Park, along Route 155, six miles north of Emporium.

Declining interest in the county's Relay for Life prompted members to launch the program to raise money for cancer research, education, advocacy and patient services.

Instead of walking a track for a period of 24 hours, community members can view art through the state park. The fund raising goal is $30,000.

"I think it is exciting that Cameron County is taking on a new idea," said ACS spokesperson Marie Costello. "All of the money will come back to support cancer patients in Cameron C…

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford is one of 500 sites across the country to broadcast the Maximum Impact Simulcast leadership training event May 8.

Topics of the simulcast will include overcoming personal and professional adversity, embracing change, learning the keys to building strong teams and best practices for balancing the needs of customers, employees and company shareholders.

The event will be broadcast live from the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta and will feature speakers such as former British prime minister Tony Blair, golfing legend Jack Nicklaus and leaders in business and marketing.

The Bradford viewing of the simulcast will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 162, Swarts Hall, and includes lunch. The cost is $89, which also includes program materials. However, there is a special rate of $22 for employees of Pennsylvania Regional Manufacturers.

Sponsors for the event are the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Outrea…

St. Bonaventure University is working with developer Ross Wilson & Associates of Williamsville in assessing the feasibility of a plan for the former Castle property, located on Route 417 across from the east side of campus.

Brenda Snow, senior vice president for finance and administration, says the possible components of the plan include apartments, a hotel, convenience retail, restaurants, and a recreation venue.

The study is expected to be complete in August, with the goal of starting construction as soon as possible thereafter.

Snow says they're eager to move forward with the project primarily because it will enhance the campus life experience of the students while also boosting the regional economy,

Bradford Regional Medical Center is over two tons lighter and a whole lot healthier - thanks to the efforts of the organization's Wellness Committee in hosting a "Biggest Loser" contest to raise awareness of healthy lifestyles and dietary choices.

A beach party was held April 17 to reveal the winners of the 12-week contest which started Jan. 19, according to Wellness Committee member Beth Price. "The competition was a huge success," Mrs. Price noted.

Bridget Pascarella of BRMC's Same Day Surgery Department took the top individual award of $1,000 for having the highest percentage weight loss of 23.5 percent. Also, the Pre-Admission Testing Department earned the top team award for the highest percent weight loss of 14.1 percent. The winning team was comprised of Mrs. Pascarella, Shannon Madore and Lois Sager. The team members received hooded "Biggest Loser" sweatshirts.

How much do you trust big corporations today? Do you really believe that Exxon Mobil has absolutely nothing to do with the rising price of gasoline? Do you trust that big drug companies aren’t ripping us off when the same pills we take cost 50 percent less in other countries? Do you believe that AIG executives really deserved million-dollar bonuses after they bankrupted the company and took a taxpayer-financed bailout?

If our country’s current financial mess taught us anything, we’ve learned the hard way that greed is really the driving force behind a lot of corporate decisions. Corporations exist to make as much profit as possible, so you shouldn’t expect any corporate executive to tell you the truth as long as telling a lie is more profitable for his company.

I hope you keep that in mind over the next seven months. Because the people who run your “friendly neighborhood power company” are going to take a lot of the money you pay them to keep our lights o…

Pennsylvania dairy farmers would get some help under legislation introduced today by the Commonwealth's senators.

Arlen Specter and Bob Casey say the Federal Milk Marketing Improvement Act of 2009 will help dairy farmers get a fair price for their milk.

Farmers are seeing prices as low as $10 and $11 for a hundredweight of milk – down from $24 per hundredweight in July.

The act would require that all milk produced in the United States be priced using a national average cost of production. The Secretary of Agriculture would be required to reassess milk price every quarter.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that the Pirates front office staff, players and fans raised $76,103 for the Fallen Heroes Fund during the Home Opener and through an online auction on Pirates.com. All the funds raised will be donated to assist the families left behind by fallen Pittsburgh police officers Eric G. Kelly, Stephen J. Mayhle and Paul J. Sciullo II.

“I would like to personally thank all of our fans, employees and players who donated their time and money to assist these families,” said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. “We recognize that no amount of aid can fill the void left behind by this senseless tragedy. Once again the people of Pittsburgh have shown how we always rally together to help those in need.”

The Pirates and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police teamed up during the Home Opener to encourage fans to donate to the fund as they entered the gates. Police officers and Pirates players and staff held collection buckets at every PNC Park gate where fans could donat…

The McDonald's in Westfield has minor damage after a fire Thursday evening.

Investigators say the fire was near the deep fryers and in an exhaust fan on the roof. They say a problem with the rooftop exhaust fan caused the unit to stop functioning properly. It overheated and started the grease on fire.

The Westfield Fire Department put the fire out quickly, but the restaurant was closed for the night.

A Bradford man has been arrested in Mexico on international kidnapping charges.

39-year-old William Amacher as well as his girlfriend, 62-year-old Linda Wynn are accused of kidnapping Wynn's 8-year-old niece in 2007.

The girl was in Wynn's custody because her mother, of Jamestown, New York, was having what authorities are calling difficulties. They say when the mother turned her life around and the court granted her custody of her daughter, Wynn and Amacher fled to Mexico with her.

Authorities found them Wednesday after a Texas law enforcement officer reported that he had seen a disheveled white girl begging for food in a Mexican border town.

Editor's Note: In an earlier report, authorities identified Amacher as Wynne's boyfriend. Amacher is actually Wynn's son. Wynn is the great aunt of 8-year-old R.J. Myers.

During the eight-week program, Montecalvo completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.

The capstone event of boot camp is "Battle Stations". This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. "Battle Stations" is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Its distinctly ''Navy'' flavor was designed to take into account what it means to be a Sailor.

Female high school athletes from across the region will have the opportunity to hone their skills as the St. Bonaventure University Department of Athletics, Department of Physical Education and School of Education sponsors its annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration Friday, May 1.

The high school students will also have the opportunity to hear from freestyle wrestler and 2012 Olympic hopeful Leigh Jaynes. Jaynes, who competes for the New York Athletic Club, is a 1st Lt. in the U.S. Army Reserves. She is training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., as she competes for a spot on the 2012 Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team.

Jaynes began wrestling as a senior at a south New Jersey high school. After being named All-American, she was recruited by Missouri Valley College. There she wrestled for four years, rising through the ranks to be the No. 1 contender among those in her weight class on the college level. She now participates in the Army’s W…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA) today sent a letter to Ray LaHood, Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, urging him to reconsider high-speed rail designations that would divide the Great Lakes Region into two separate, unconnected routes.

“Given the region’s interest in being connected to the proposed high-speed passenger rail network, we would appreciate the benefit of your views as to whether the current designated high speed rail corridor map precludes Erie from competing for a role in the President’s vision for high-speed rail,” the members wrote.

The current map of high-speed rail corridor designations connect Cleveland to Kansas City and Minneapolis/St. Paul and also includes a line connecting Buffalo to major population centers on the east coast, but does not connect Cleveland to Buffalo. The issue was first brought to the members’ attention by Erie County Councilmembe…

The Allegany-Limestone Central School District teacher's association has approved a no confidence vote against Superintendent Diane Munro.

During a meeting last night, a letter was read saying due to Monro's lack of educational leadership, the atmosphere among the employees and parents in the district has developed into fear and distrust.

The association is also asking the district to terminate Munro's contract.

Representatives from 39 countries will be in Buffalo next week for a two-day trade mission with regional business leaders.

Governor David Paterson says the mission is designed to foster investment and job creation between international business interests and business in Western New York. During the session, visiting trade commissioners will hear from senior New York officials, learn about investment opportunities in Western New York, meet with local businesses and trade partners, and become acquainted with the strengths of the Western New York Region.

MEADVILLE – Concerned about the lack of an intermunicipal agreement that defines a common strategy to deal with significant sewage system shortcomings, the Department of Environmental Protection has decided not to approve sewage plans, referred to as Act 537 plans, that were submitted by the city of Bradford, Bradford Township, Lafayette Township and Lewis Run Borough.

The municipalities, along with Foster Township, all utilize the Bradford Sanitary Authority (BSA) system for their sewage disposal. For years, the sewage collection system has been carrying more flow than the system was designed to handle and the BSA sewage conveyance system has experienced raw sewage overflows and the sewage treatment plant has been compromised.

In 2007, BSA and the municipalities entered into a consent order and agreement with DEP that required the elimination of overflows, evaluation of the sewage treatment plant, and, if necessary, expansion of the sewage treatment plant. Under the consent order, the …

National Volunteer Week is designated to recognize all volunteers and celebrate the spirit of volunteerism.

At the American Red Cross, we are especially grateful for the hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the nation who contribute their time, blood and financial support. Many of us are ourselves volunteers. We know first-hand the selfless nature of people who give with no expectation of being paid for their time.

However, volunteers will tell you that they are well-paid. The reward for their work is not money, but is, instead, the satisfaction of helping others, active involvement in the community and the friendships that form through volunteer work.

Service has a profound effect on the person who provides the help as well. “I’m not wealthy, but I am richer because I volunteer,” comments one Red Crosser when expressing that volunteering has changed her life.

“This year, the theme of National Volunteer Week is "Celebrating People in Action," and that is just what R…

The Bradford Main Street program has been designated an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Trust Main Street Center. Each year, the National Trust and its coordinating program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street programs that have built strong revitalization organizations that have demonstrated their ability to follow the Main Street methodology.

“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for meeting our established performance standard,” says Doug Loescher, director of the National Trust Main Street Center, “Rebuilding a district’s economic health and maintaining that success requires broad-based community involvement and support, in addition to establishing a solid organization with sound management that is committed to long-term success.”

The National Trust Main Street Center works in partnership with Coordinating Main Street Programs throug…

Robert Feikema of the Parental Stress Center in Pittsburgh will be the keynote speaker at a workshop Friday, April 24, called “Helping Families in Tough Economic Times.”

The workshop is free and open to the public. It will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in the Mukaiyama University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

The workshop is being co-sponsored by the McKean County Collaborative Board, the Northern Tier Community Action Corp. and the Pitt-Bradford master of social work program as part of their activities for Child Abuse Prevention Month. Also, as part of the groups’ activities the Children’s Memorial Flag is being flown at Pitt-Bradford to focus attention on violent child death in efforts to reduce child mortality.

The workshop will begin and end with a resource and networking fair to take place from 9 to 9:30 and 11 to 11:30 a.m.

Feikema’s talk on short- and long-term ways agencies can help families du…

HARRISBURG - An attempt to bring to a vote an amendment offered by state Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) that would have removed the authorization to implement tolls on Interstate 80 was blocked Wednesday through efforts spearheaded by House Democrats. By a 106-87 vote, the amendment was ruled out of order, thus preventing it from actually being considered on the House floor.

Gabler issued the following statement in response to the vote:

"I am disappointed that my House colleagues chose to employ parliamentary gamesmanship in stonewalling my effort to remove the threat of tolling of Interstate 80. Rather than doing the people's business and taking action to help our local economy, opponents of this amendment chose to hide from this important debate. Those of us who live in districts adjacent to the interstate know how detrimental tolling would be to the surrounding communities and how detrimental that threat has already been.

Dallas-Morris Drilling is among the companies that have joined with OSHA to form the Appalachian Oil and Gas Safety Consortium.

The alliance is designed to promote workplace safety and health among companies in the oil and natural gas industry that are operating in the Appalachian Basin.

Through the alliance, OSHA will work with industry partners and the University of West Virginia Education Center to develop training and educational programs for employees involved in exploration, drilling, extraction, servicing, and distribution of oil and natural gas.

A major goal of the alliance is to develop training materials that include OSHA 10-hour, 30-hour and train-the-trainer courses focused on different aspects of the oil and natural gas industry to include site preparation, drilling and production.

OSHA currently has more than 470 safety and health alliances throughout the nation as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to improve the safety and health of employees through cooperative partn…

Zippo has cancelled its inaugural Zippo Fest – a music-themed event planned for July 18.

Mark Paup, Zippo's vice president of sales and marketing, says in recognition of the serious economic situation, the company wants to tightly manage and allocate its marketing resources for greater sales impact.

"Our focus is on driving sales and revenue growth for maximum return," he says. "Therefore, we feel it is in our best interest to cancel the event."

Paup noted that despite the downturn, the Zippo brand remains strong and other elements of the company's 2009 marketing program remain as planned.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is very pleased to announce a series of public meetings across Pennsylvania to engage in public input, raise awareness, and collect comments concerning the Federal Broadband stimulus within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Potter County Education Council will host this meeting on Monday, May 11 from 4 -6 p.m. at the Coudersport Office. PCEC will also be video conferencing this meeting to five off-site locations.

The Act provides for grants and loans through two federal agencies. The Department of Commerce National Telecommunication and Information Administration, which provide grants through the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and the Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service, which provides loans, loan guarantees, and grants. These two program will provide funds to assist in accelerating broadband access and deployment to unserved and underserved areas.

Three University of Pittsburgh at Bradford senior ROTC students were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army in a ceremony on campus today.

Lt. Col. Thomas Leitch of the Seneca Battalion of the ROTC program headquartered at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y., administered the oath to Michael D. Dixon, a history/political science major from Bradford; Matthew E. Gustin, a criminal justice major from Shinglehouse; and Travis R. Michael, a criminal justice major from Erie.

“These young men have successfully completed all academic, leadership and experience-based requirements for becoming U.S. Army officers, and they will represent the largest number of Pitt-Bradford graduates ever to be commissioned at the same time,” said Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs Dr. K. James Evans, who was also honored Wednesday for his support of the Seneca Battalion.

Leitch said that the students are the 13th, 14th and 15th Pitt-Bradford students…

The state House has rejected a proposal to prohibit using hand-held cell phones or sending text messages while driving.

The proposal would have imposed a $50 fine and made violations a primary offense, meaning police could have pulled over motorists only because they were seen using cell phones.

Among the issues debated was what it means to actually operate a motor vehicle. Representative John Maher is one of the people who spoke against the amendment.

"So under Pennsylvania law, this amendement would have the effect that a mother wating outside a school, parked in a school parking lot, waiting for children to complete a school activity, while she's talking on her cell phone, she would be committing a crime," Maher said.

Debate continues on other amendments to the underlying bill addressing teen driving safety, including proposals to address the issue of distracted motorists.

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-Howard, took to the House Floor today to praise his constituents for speaking out against ‘this broken process we call Washington’. Thompson, who is referring to the Tea Parties that took place across his sprawling rural district last week, was presented with a signed petition by those who partook in the State College, Pennsylvania Tea Party.

Warren, Pa. – The Allegheny National Forest (NF) announces the second round of public meetings for the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for oil and gas standards and guidelines for the 2007 Forest Plan. The purpose of these scheduled workshops is to provide information on the comments received during the recent scoping period, and share preliminary significant issues and proposed alternatives. The dates and locations of next week’s meetings are as follows:

1. Monday, April 27th - 7:00 p.m., Israel Building Auditorium on the grounds of the Warren State Hospital, U.S. 62 north of Warren; 2. Tuesday, April 28th - 7:00 p.m., Rice Auditorium (Room 107 in Fisher Hall) at the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford; and 3. Wednesday, April 29th - 7:00 p.m., Clarion Holiday Inn at the junction of State Route 68 and Interstate 80 (exit 62).

A notice of intent was published in the Federal Register on Friday, February 27th announcing the beginning of the SEIS p…

Pennsylvania's largest teachers' union and the state PTA are part of a group that's promoting an alternative to the graduation competency tests being considered by the State Board of Education.

The Coalition for Effective and Responsible Testing outlined a plan today that it said would measure student performance more effectively and wouldn't necessarily prevent failing students from graduating.

The coalition's plan would focus on testing students at the time they take a subject, not years later.

Members of the coalition say a valid assessment shouldn't depend on a single test score.

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HARRISBURG – Senator Jeffrey E. Piccola (R-15), Chairman of the Education Committee, released the following statement today reacting to the Pennsylvania State Education Association and various other organizations unveiling of the "Keystone Exams 2.0," an alternative plan to the Keystone Exams, which was proposed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylv…

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation have filed criminal charges against four Cumberland and Dauphin County men accused of shipping as much as $750,000 worth of marijuana and cocaine cross-country, from southern California to the Harrisburg area.

Corbett said the investigation, known as "Operation Frequent Flyer," began in March 2009 after agents from the Attorney General's Office received information about a group of individuals who were reportedly involved in the large-scale shipment of drugs from California into Central Pennsylvania. The drugs were then allegedly repackaged for distribution and sale throughout Cumberland and Da…

An ex-political fundraiser for former Governor Tom Ridge who admitted stealing money from his campaigns is accused of embezzling more than $1 million.

Court records indicate 44-year-old Laurie Simmons will plead guilty in U.S. District on May 1 to a single count of wire fraud in connection with the money she allegedly stole from two companies she worked for in the Harrisburg area.

Under a plea agreement, Simmons agreed to forfeit property valued at more than half a million dollars, including a $225,000 property in Aruba, $40,000 worth of wine and $35,000 in gold and silver coins.

She could spend up to 20 years in prison.

In 2000, Simmons was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing $93,500 she had raised for Ridge's campaigns.

Several members of the Pennsylvania Senate paid tribute today to longtime Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas, who died last week. The senators speaking are Ted Ericson, Jake Corman, Larry Farnese, John Rafferty, Mike Stack and Mike O'Pake.

Today is the international commemoration of the Holocaust -- named the Day of Remembrance of Victims of the Nazi Holocaust, or Yom Hashoah.

A ceremony was held today in Harrisburg. Among the speakers were Governor Ed Rendell, Lt. Governor Joe Scarnati, and State Senator Mike Stack, the prime sponsor of a resolution that designates April 19 through April 26, 2009, as “Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust” in Pennsylvania.

The Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh announced Monday that there will be no tuition increase at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford for the 2009-10 academic year.

The decision to keep tuition for 2009-2010 at the same level as the current year will apply also to Pitt’s campuses in Titusville, Johnstown and Greensburg, affecting about 7,000 students in the Pitt system.

“Particularly in these difficult times, the university is sensitive to the difficult task of balancing our own financial uncertainties with the challenges faced by families who are budgeting to meet tuition expenses,” Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg said in making the announcement. “As a result, we are redoubling our efforts to limit tuition increases.”

Pitt has yet to set the tuition for its Oakland campus.

Dr. Livingston Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford, has already commended the Chancellor on his decision to keep Pitt-Bradford’s tuition at an affordable lev…